Maternity
by Cable Addict
Summary: Ziva reflects. Written for ncis lfws. I got eliminated. Prompt was 'borrowed titles'.


**Title:** Maternity

**Character(s):** Ziva David, Tony DiNozzo, OC: Leah DiNozzo-Foster, Carrie the babysitter, OC: Dylan Foster, OC: Riley Foster

**Pairing(s):** Tony/Ziva

**Genre(s):** Family, Romance

**Episode(s):** None

**Crossover(s):** None

**Word Count:** 919

–

Ziva never thought that she would be capable of being a mother. Being 'maternal' was one word that she never thought would describe her. Looking back now, she supposed that out of all the mothers that she knew, she was the most motherly.

When Ziva found out that she was pregnant, she should have known right away that she would be alright. She cried. Not angry tears. She wasn't angry at herself for getting pregnant, but she wasn't angry at her partner for getting her pregnant either. The tears weren't happy tears though. She wasn't at all proud of this mistake. They were tears of sorrow. Sorrow for the child inside of her. She was sorry for the life the baby would have while in her care. Sorry because it most likely wouldn't be a happy was out of the question. It was against her religion _and_ her morals. Adoption wasn't an option either. She wasn't going to let someone else raise her child, and she was pretty sure Tony wouldn't allow it either.

About six months into her pregnancy, the baby didn't move for three whole days. Ziva feared the worst, naturally. The hospital gave her medical advice: Talk to the baby. She did one better and sung to it. In addition, she read, and spoke to it in as many languages that she knew. Then, finally, on day four, she felt the familiar fluttering feeling up against her ribcage. The butterfly like kicks caused her to smile.

Eight months into the pregnancy, Ziva and Tony lay in bed, going through baby names. Tony had picked only boy names, being one hundred percent sure that the baby was going to be male. She smiled and softly told him that in a month, they would have a little girl. He vehemently denied this, saying that DiNozzo men only had DiNozzo men. His _great-great-great_-grandmother had only had boys, his _great-great_-grandmother had only had boys, his _great_-grandmother had only had boys, his _grandmother_ had only had boys, and his _mother_ had only had him. DiNozzo tradition. She kindly reminded him that _her_ mother had only had girls, and that since she was stronger than he was, her genes overpowered his. He thought this over for a moment, pouted, and then flipped to the first page of the girls half of the book.

When the baby was born, Ziva was rushed to the delivery room. After seven and a half hours of labor, Leah Abrielle DiNozzo was born. It was all Tony could do to keep her from freaking out. She _demanded_ to see her daughter the _minute_ she was out, not trusting the doctors to take care of her until she was able to hold the newborn. The fear that something would happen to her little Leah was great, and she only relaxed against the sweat soaked pillows once the doctor handed her over. Leah, who had been fussing as well, instantly calmed the moment she was placed into her mother's arms.

When Leah was two, she had an accident. She was left in the care of a sitter while her mother and father worked, but the minute it happened, _she_ knew. She immediately felt that something was wrong. Her throat went dry and her stomach twisted up into a large knot. She had excused herself from interrogation, and called up Carrie, the babysitter. The poor girl was frantic, and it was all she could do to keep her calm. Finally, after three and a half minutes of verbal nonsense, Carrie revealed that she and Leah were at the hospital because Leah had fallen off the swing in the backyard, and hit her head on the play structure. Ziva immediately left NCIS and rushed to the hospital. Carrie was fired after Leah was discharged, and that was the last sitter that the little girl ever had.

Ziva was on the front porch watching as Tony taught Leah how to ride a bike when the six year old took her first spill of many. In a second, she was halfway across the front yard, and in another, she was kneeling next to her crying daughter. She scooped her up in her arms, and ran back into the house in a flash. She had, immaturely, locked the bathroom door, leaving Tony to bang on it while yelling apologies. After Leah's knee had been cleaned and bandaged, mother and daughter sat in the bathroom for half an hour longer just talking.

When Leah was nine, she fell out of a tree and broke her arm. Ziva was there.

When she was sixteen, she got into a minor car accident. Ziva was there.

When she was twenty-two, she almost drowned at a party after consuming a large amount of alcohol. Ziva was there.

When Leah was twenty-nine, she and her husband came to visit for the holiday, and it was obvious that she was trying to hide something. Right away, Ziva knew what was going on. No words were exchanged, just looks. It was actually, _completely_ obvious as to what was going on, but Tony, Mr. Senior Agent, was completely oblivious.

Five months later, Ziva and Leah were in the delivery room while Tony and Dylan were outside in the waiting room. Shortly after they arrived, Ziva entered the waiting room, a pink bundle lying in her arms.

Later, when Ziva watched Leah interact with baby Riley, she knew that the maternal bond would be just as strong, if not _stronger_, for them.


End file.
